Outboard motor steering seat



June 20, 1961 R. J. MELOCHE 2,989,021

OUTBOARD MOTOR STEERING SEAT Filed April 14, 1960 INVENTOR. KA YMolvo J'./1ELOCHE United States Patent G F 2,989,021 OUTBOARD MOTOR STEERING SEAT Raymond J. Meloche, 1707 Kings Highway Lincoln Park, Mich. Filed Apr. 14, 1960, Ser. No. 22,275 2 Claims. (Cl. 115-18) This invention relates generally to the outboard motor art, and more particularly to a steering seat for use with an outboard motor.

It is the primary object of the present invention to provide a seat which may be detachably mounted on the top of an outboard motor whereby the user may be able to steer the boat on which the motor is mounted by body action alone to permit free use of both of his hands for other purposes, as for example, casting, trolling and the like when fishing.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a novel outboard motor steering seat especially adapted for fishing purposes and the like whereby the user may easily and efiiciently steer a boat. The steering seat elevates the user to a position above the sides of the boat to provide more freedom of action and a wide scope for casting. Furthermore, the elevated position of the user places him at a height which is normally above any fumes created by the motor.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an outboard motor steering seat which is simple and com,- pact in construction, economical of manufacture, and efficient in operation.

Other objects, features and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following detailed description and appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawing forming a part of the specification wherein like reference numerals designate corresponding parts of the several views.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is an elevational perspective view of an outboard motor steering seat made in accordance with the principles of the invention, and showing the seat mounted on a. motor illustrated in fragment;

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the seat structure shown in FIG. 3, taken along the line 2--2 thereof and looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the structure shown in FIG. 2, taken along the line 3-3 thereof and looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 4 is an elevational sectional view of the structure illustrated in FIG. 3, taken along the line 4-4 thereof and looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of the structure shown in FIG. 3 and taken within the arrow marked 5; and.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary elevational view of a modified retaining bar used in the invention.

Referring now to the drawing and in particular to FIG. 1, the numeral 10 generally indicates an outboard motor shown in fragment and provided with the usual motor rests 11 and the U-shaped steering bracket 12.. The bracket 12 is provided with the substantially horizontal bight portion 13 which extends inwardly of a boat on which the motor is mounted. The numeral 14 generally indicates a seat of any conventional type which may be provided with a back rest as 15. The back rest 15 may be fixedly secured to the seat 14 or pivotally mounted thereon, as desired.

As shown in FIGS. 1 through 4, the seat 14 is provided with a bottom plate or board 16 to which is suitably connected the metal cross plate 17 of an inverted U-shaped saddle means. The plate 17 may be secured to the seat bottom plate 16 by any suitable means as by means of the screws 18. Fixedly secured to the ends of the plate 17 are the vertical metal leg plates 19 and 20, by means of the screws 20 and 21. It will be seen that the plate 17 2,989,021? Patented June 20, 1961 and the legs 19 and 20 form a saddle means for mounting a seat 14 on the top side of the motor casing or housing 23. As illustrated, the lower ends of the legs 19 and 20 engage the upper side of the motor rest 11 with the cross plate 17 engaging the motor casing 23. It will be obvious that with motors not having rests as 11, the legs 19 and 20 will merely engage the sides of the housing 23.

The seat 14 is adapted to be releasably retained in place by a retainer means including the two retainer bars 24 and 25. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the bars 24 and 25 are each provided with an angularly turned upper end as 26 which is adapted to be secured to the under side of the seat 14 adjacent the front end thereof, by any suitable means as by the screws 27. The bars 24 and 25 slope forwardly and downwardly from the front end of the seat 14 and are provided on the lower end thereof with a U- shaped portion 28 which is adapted to be seated around the horizontal portion 13 of the steering bracket 12. The lower ends 28 of the bars '24 and 25 are adapted to be secured in place by means of a retainer pin as 29 which is adapted to pass through the holes 30 and 31 in the lower end 28. The pin 29 is provided with a pivoted end 32 for securing the pin in locking position.

Experience has shown that the steering seat of the present invention provides a device which permits the user to steer a boat with his body in an easy and efiicient manner so as to leave his hands free for fishing purposes or the like. The user rests his feet inthe boat and leans slightly forward and steering of the boat is accomplished by merely turning his body from side to side, which action in turn pivots the motor relative to the boat to provide the desired steering effect.

FIG. 6 shows a slight modification of the retainer means wherein the lower end of the retainer bars 24 and 25 are formed with an inverted U-shaped end as 33. In this em;- bodiment the bar is indicated by the numeral 24a. The end portion 33 is again adapted to be seated on the steering bracket portion 13 and it would be secured in place by means of the bolt 34 which passes through the holes 36 and 37 and is secured in place by the nut 35.

While it will be apparent that the preferred embodiments of the invention herein disclosed are well calculated to fulfill the objects above stated, it will be appreciated that the invention is susceptible to modification, variation and change without departing from the proper scope or fair meaning of the subjoined claims.

It will be seen that the seat is adapted to rest on the top of the forward part or end of the motor 10. It will also be seen that the steering seat will not interfere with or bother the operator when starting the motor 10.

What I claim is:

1. In combination, an outboard motor having a steering bracket; a seat; saddle means connected to said seat for detachably mounting the seat on said motor; a retainer means for releasably securing the seat in place on said motor; and, said retainer means including a pair of retainer bars interconnected between said seat and said steering bracket.

2. In combination, an outboard motor having a steering bracket; a seat; saddle means connected to said seat for detachably mounting the seat on said motor; a retainer means for releasably securing the seat in place on said motor; said retainer means including a pair of retainer bars interconnected between said seat and said steering bracket; and, each of said bars having mounting means on the lower end thereof for releasably securing the bars to said steering bracket.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,775,950 Dearmond Ian. 1, 1957 2,845,891 Frey Aug. 5, 1958 

